“I think the power of persuasion would be the greatest superpower of all time.” – Jenny Mollen
PERSUASIVE POWER
The art of persuasion is different, and the same, when you’re WFH and persuading over Zoom or your video conferencing tool of choice. It’s different because you’re not physically there. It’s the same because persuasion is about your words, your body language, and your attention.
So, given that this is our new normal for a little while, here are the six things that you need to keep in mind as you continue to work and drive toward professional success, from home:
- Listen. What matters to everyone is that you listen. Remember, LISTENING is different than HEARING. Hearing is involuntary. Listening is active and requires conscious thought and reflection. When there is a pause, recap what you’ve heard. Take notes while you’re on the call.
- Mirror. Match your body language to theirs. It creates both comfortability and rapport. Don’t be obvious. Subtlety is key. Pro-tip: look into the camera, not the screen. It creates eye contact.
- Match. Much like mirroring your body language, you should mirror your verbal communication as well. The volume and pitch of your voice should subtlety match the volume and pitch of theirs. If they’re fast talkers, speed it up. If they speak softly, quiet your voice.
- Use headphones. If you can, use headphones of some kind. Why? It will decrease background noise and create a “connection” between you and the screen that will help to hold your audience’s attention.
- Focus. Focus. Focus. Close other windows, close email, and silence Slack.
- No phone. No explanation needed. Put it away during your work calls.
Today’s working environment is different than it was just a few weeks ago, but the common-sense rules of persuasion still apply. Have a tip? Email us and let us know. We’ll feature it across our social feeds.